Name of Vessel:

Active

Master of Vessel:

Clark

Rig of Vessel:

Brig

Date of Capture:

19 July 1777

Place of Capture:

21 miles east of Cape Sable, Nova Scotia

Captor:

HM Frigate Amazon

Home Port:

From What Port:

Quebec, Quebec

To What Port:

Liverpool, England

Cargo:

Ballast

Tonnage:

125

Battery:

8x4; 8s

Crew:

Owners:

Prize master:

Prize crew:

Ordered Into:

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Into What Port:

Halifax, Nova Scotia

Date Arrived:

[20] July 1777

Date Tried:

11 August 1777

Date Sold:

Action:

No

Recaptured:

No

Comments: The 125-ton British Transport Brig Active (Clark), from Quebec, Quebec to Liverpool, England, in ballast, and armed with eight 4-pounders and eight swivels, was captured by the Massachusetts Privateer Schooner Speedwell (Commander Jonathan Greely). At the time of her capture (20 June 1777) the Speedwell was to the east of the Grand Banks, at 48°N. Active made no resistance. Although she was in ballast Greely found various items of munitions and some extra sails aboard. The master, mate, and the crew were removed, except three men. Speedwell dispatched Active for Boston, Massachusetts, under prize master Thomas Smith. On 19 July 1777, HM Frigate Amazon (Captain Maximilian Jacobs) was cruising off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. At 0400 HM Frigate Orpheus reported a sail in the northeast and both frigates began chasing. About 21 miles east of Cape Sable the chase was captured. She was the brig Active. At 1800 the prize was taken in tow, and Amazon bore away for Halifax. Active was libeled at Halifax on 21 July 1777. Appraised at £505.10, she was condemned on 11 August 1777, and had been sold before 23 August.

[NDAR, IX, 296 and note, 638 and note, 813-817; “The following is a List of Vessels seized as Prizes, and of Recaptures made, by the American Squadron, between the 27^th of May and 24^th of October, 1777, according to the Returns received by Vice Admiral Lord Viscount Howe,” in The London Chronicle, Tuesday, December 2, to Saturday, December 6, 1777]